nd even at that
distance we could hear their savage cries, when the frigate opened fire
upon them, compelling them to beat a retreat, while we hastened down the
hill and gained the boats which had just come in to receive us. The
frigate was obliged to tack, but before the Moors could return we had
pulled away beyond the range of their muskets. We were soon on board
the frigate, when our arrival caused no small astonishment as well as
delight, when it was discovered that we had rescued the captives, and
still more so when it was known who they were.

The young ladies, although they had so long worn male attire, were far
from feeling at ease on finding themselves among their countrymen, and
they entreated to be led below, to avoid the gaze of the seamen.

We should, we feared, have great difficulty in procuring suitable
costumes to enable them to appear with satisfaction in public.

"We must apply to the admiral to help us; he can do everything,"
observed Lancelot. "So don't trouble yourself about the matter,
Cicely."

As we stood towards the fleet we saw the line-of-battle ships getting up
their anchors, and making sail away from the shore, from which not a gun
was now fired. One of the boats conveyed our party to the _Saint
George_, where the admiral received our friends with the greatest
kindness, highly commending us for the way in which we had achieved our
undertaking. We found that he intended to inflict no further
chastisement on the Dey of Tunis, it being considered that the
destruction of his fleet, the ruin of his forts, and the vast number of
men who had been slain would induce him to refrain from interfering with
English interests in future.

Running along the coast we visited Tripoli, the Dey of which State,
taught a lesson by the punishment the ruler of Tunis had received,
showed every desire to be on terms of friendship with us. The fleet
then proceeded up the Adriatic to pay the Venetians a friendly visit.

Space does not permit me to describe that curious canal-intersected
city, where the admiral was received with such honours as are accorded
generally only to royal persons. Thanks to his generosity, Cicely and
Audrey were here supplied with all the requisite articles of female
dress, which were sent on board the day after our arrival, so that they
were able to go on shore in their proper characters, and view the
wonders of the city.

Leaving the Adriatic we again came off Tunis, when a whi